The present invention relates to a structure for carrying and supporting an archery bow, as well as adding additional structural integrity to the riser.
Handle devices to simplify carrying and holding an archery bow are already known in the art. However, many of these devices are unsatisfactory, in that they do not allow for the archery bow to be easily or efficiently carried by the archer since the handle is often positioned on the inside of the riser. This positioning of the handle causes the bow to be unbalanced when carried and can result in discomfort for the archer and shoulder fatigue, particularly when the bow must be carried for extended periods of time.
Another problem with handles that are positioned in this manner is that the string and power cables have a tendency to come into contact with the archer""s clothing and hands. As well as direct mount arrow quivers and/or high cable guards. This can be an additional source of discomfort to the archer and, over time, will often result in war of the bow finish. Additionally, as the sight and stabilizer are positioned toward the ground when the handle is attached to the inside of the riser, these components of the bow are prone to damage when obstructions are encountered while the bow is being carried by an archer. An example of such a device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,522,376 to Collingsworth, which teaches a handle for an archery bow, which is positioned on the inside of the bow riser.
Other devices have attempted to overcome these difficulties by positioning the handle on the other side of the riser. Examples of such a device are taught in U.S. Pat. No 4,457,287 to Babington, which discloses a universally mounted handle which acts as a handgrip for the archer when shooting an arrow and U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,368 to Geiger, which teaches a combination archery bow and sling shot having a hand grip. Although the handle devices taught in Babington and Geiger are somewhat more successful in preventing the strings of the bow from coming into contact with the hands and doing of the archer, these devices and other similar devices are still rather unsatisfactory, in that they do not permit the bow to remain in a balanced position while being carried by an archer. This is largely due to the fact that such handle devices are typically situated below other components of the bow. As a result, the side to side and end to end balance of the bow is unstable and easily disturbed when the bow is being carried.
A further difficulty with devices such as the ones disclosed in Babington, Collingsworth and Geiger lies in their inability to be used in conjunction with bows that have a low brace height and/or direct mount arrow quivers and/or high cable guard systems. This construction prevents the devices from being easily supported by mounting or hanging devices.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved structure for carrying and supporting an archery bow which will allow a bow to be transported in such a manner that the string and power cables will have minimal contact with the archers clothing and hands. It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a carrying and support structure for a bow which will reduce the amount of wear on the bow finish and protect other components attached to the bow, such as sights and stabilizers, from damage when obstructions are encountered. It is another object of the present invention to provide a structure for carrying and supporting an archer bow which is balanced so as to reduce discomfort to the archer when carrying the bow and help to prevent shoulder fatigue from occurring when the archer must carry the bow for extended periods of time. It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a structure for supporting and carrying an archery bow which can permit an archer to hang his or her bow on a tree branch, or other hanging device and secure the bow to a mounting deice on the ground or on a bench.
As an archery bow has a built in inherent weakness of the riser by design which is located at the grip (throat) it is a further objective of one embodiment of the present invention to alleviate this weakness by incorporating the invention into the riser during manufacturing. This embodiment will substantially contribute additional strength in this area.
These and other objectives are accomplished by providing a structure for carrying and supporting an archery bow, wherein the structure is equipped with a gripping portion which is adjoined to an attachment. A connecting means is provided to be connected to the riser of the archery bow. The form of the structure permits easy and efficient hanging of the bow and allows the bow to be supported within an ancillary mounting device. Additionally, when the structure is secured to the central region of the riser of an archery bow, such that when carried, the archery bow, on either side of the riser, is curved away from and downwardly from the riser and all other bow components rest below the structure, the center of gravity is lowered and the balance from side to side and end to end of the bow can be maintained in order to reduce any discomfort or arm and shoulder fatigue on the part of the archer.
In order to permit other instruments such as a broadhead wrench, a sling or an arrow rest to be attached to the structure and transported or kept with the bow, the structure is provided optionally with one or more apertures. The structure is also adapted to be adjustably attached to the riser of the archer bow by means of an elongated slot which can be angled according to the preference of the archer.